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To: xkaydet65
I also remember seeing the other day a report about some Marine General running around in nothern Iraq meeting with the Kurds.....
63 posted on 03/26/2003 5:35:27 PM PST by JayP56
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To: JayP56
I also remember seeing the other day a report about some Marine General running around in nothern Iraq meeting with the Kurds.....

He is MajGen Osman, and his presence has been well (as in intentionally) publicized. As CG, II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF), he fills a 3-star command which includes the 2d Marine Division, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, and 2d Force Service Support Group. MajGen Osman has been widely photographed in recent talks with Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq.

That said, we should understand that the Marine Corps is all about task organization and flexibility, and some elements of II MEF units are now operating under I MEF command in southern Iraq. What has already been published is the long-ago deployment of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), which is a composite slice of II MEF, including a Regimental Landing Team (taken from 2d MarDiv), a composite Marine Air Group (taken from 2d MAW) and a Brigade Service Support Group (taken from the 2d FSSG). 2d MEB is a heavy brigade (MEB), commanded by a brigadier general, and not a much larger MEF as mentioned in this thread.

Normally, a Regimental Landing Team includes a nucleus of a Marine infantry regiment, reinforced with a tank company, AAV company, LAV company, engineer company, etc. However, the Marine Corps organizes such units to fit their particular missions, so 2d MEB might be heavier or lighter in some aspects. It is interesting to note that GlobalSecurity.org claims that 2d MEB includes two tank battalions, which is twice the armor of a Marine Division. That would be interesting.

85 posted on 03/26/2003 6:36:14 PM PST by Always A Marine
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